MILAN, June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) and the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) are proud to announce the recipients of this year’s Robert A. Kyle Achievement Award and Brian G.M. Durie Outstanding Achievement Award. The in-person awards ceremony will be held on Tuesday, June 10, at the 16th Annual International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) Summit in Milano, Italy.
The Robert A. Kyle Lifetime Achievement and Brian G.M. Durie Outstanding Achievement Awards are presented each year to outstanding and deserving individuals who have made significant contributions in the field of myeloma research.
This year, four members of the IMF Scientific Advisory Board were involved in the awards committee: IMF Chairperson of the Board S. Vincent Rajkumar, MD; Philippe Moreau, MD (University Hospital of Nantes — Nantes, France); Nikhil Munshi, MD (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute — Boston, MA); and Jesús San Miguel, MD, PhD (University of Navarra —Pamplona, Spain).
“The Dr. Kyle Lifetime Achievement and Dr. Durie Outstanding Achievement Awards are prestigious awards in the field and are presented annually to investigators who have made huge contributions to the field,” said IMF Chairperson of the Board Dr. S. Vincent Rajkumar.
2025 Robert A. Kyle Lifetime Achievement Awardee
This year’s Robert A. Kyle Lifetime Achievement Awardee is Sagar Lonial, MD, FACP, Chair and Professor, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA.
He is Chief Medical Officer of the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University and internationally recognized as a leading authority in multiple myeloma treatment and research.
Dr. Lonial serves as co-chair of the NCI Myeloma Committee, as a board member of the IMF Scientific Advisory Board, and as co-chair of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) Scientific Advisory Board.
He is the myeloma editor for Clinical Lymphoma and Myeloma, an Associate Editor for the JCO Journal of Oncology Practice, and a former section editor for Cancer. Dr. Lonial is also an ad hoc reviewer for Blood, Cancer Research, Clinical Cancer Research, Haematologica, Leukemia, and other journals, and has authored or co-authored over 400 papers and abstracts.
Dr. Lonial has worked in the field of immunotherapy and cancer. He has spent time developing the B-cell malignancy program with respect to novel targeted agents in laboratory models as well as early clinical trials. His previous laboratory work focused on evaluating the impact of purified dendritic cell subsets on the nature of immune responses against antigen. Most recently, Dr. Lonial focused on combinations of novel agents as therapy for myeloma and lymphoma, particularly evaluating combinations that may result in synergistic inhibition of the PI3-K/Akt pathway and the role of 14-3-3 in proteasome function.
Dr. Lonial’s notable accolades include the Celgene Young Investigator Award, Indo American Cancer Association (IACA) Lifetime Achievement Award, and the COMy Multiple Myeloma Excellence Award for Clinical Science. He is also a Giants of Cancer Care inductee and currently holds the Anne and Bernard Gray Family Chair in Cancer.
“Dr. Kyle is such a giant in the myeloma field, to have my name spoken with the award that recognizes all his contributions is such an honor. I am very proud of our team at Emory and Winship for doing important work to improve outcomes for myeloma patients and for helping provide options to our patients,” said Dr. Lonial about receiving this prestigious lifetime achievement award.
2025 Brian G.M. Durie Outstanding Achievement Awardee
This year’s Brian G.M. Durie Outstanding Achievement Awardee is Sonja Zweegman, MD, PhD, Head of the Department of Hematology, and Vice Chair of the Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC in the Netherlands. She is chairman of the Dutch HOVON Myeloma Working Group.
Dr. Zweegman’s clinical research focuses on optimizing treatment of myeloma patients, particularly for the vulnerable and older populations.
She is a principal investigator of numerous national and international clinical trials involving the elderly and aiming to personalize treatment approaches based on the degree of frailty. To this end, her work explores whether functional geriatric assessments and biological indicators of frailty—such as (immune)senescence and sarcopenia—can more accurately predict treatment feasibility and outcomes.
Dr. Zweegman co-leads the Amsterdam UMC Myeloma Translational Research Group, which is embedded within the Department of Haematology and bridges laboratory research with clinical care. Her translational efforts are dedicated to advancing immune-based therapies for multiple myeloma. These include elucidating the mechanisms of action of immunotherapeutics and investigating the biological underpinnings of treatment resistance.
To improve outcomes in patients with resistant disease, she is actively involved in the development of innovative immunotherapeutic strategies, including novel CAR-T cell therapies, designed to overcome immune escape and therapeutic resistance.
Dr. Zweegman has co-authored over 350 peer-reviewed publications and contributed to several book chapters. She is actively engaged in initiatives to improve healthcare delivery and access to treatment for individuals with hematological malignancies.
As chair of the HOVON Myeloma Working Group and the Echelons in Haematological Care Working Group, she oversees the development of treatment guidelines, care centralization, and regional consultation networks aimed at improving both quality and equity of access.
A major theme throughout her work is improving quality of life for patients with multiple myeloma—not only by optimizing treatment efficacy but also by reducing toxicity, preserving functional independence, and aligning care with patient values.
Dr. Zweegman co-leads the Quality of Life Working Group within the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG), where she leads international efforts to incorporate patient-reported outcomes into research and clinical practice.
She is co-chair of the Membership Committee of the International Myeloma Society, where she fosters connections among hematologists worldwide to advance the Society’s mission of improving care for patients with myeloma across diverse healthcare systems.
In addition, Dr. Zweegman is a dedicated educator—committed to teaching both patients and professionals. She provides educational outreach nationally and internationally, sharing knowledge with hematologists and the broader public to improve understanding and management of multiple myeloma.
“It’s a real honor to receive this award, especially as it carries the name that marked my very first steps into the world of myeloma—Brian G.M. Durie. His work helped shape the way we treat this disease, and those early steps brought me into a passionate and warm community. A community deeply committed to improving both the length and quality of life for people living with myeloma—recognizing their strength, while never losing sight of their vulnerability,” said Dr. Zweegman.
“Research is something we can only do together, and that’s why this award truly belongs to all the researchers in HOVON, the international myeloma community, the patients I’ve worked with and to my ‘scientific family’ in Amsterdam UMC-Cancer Center Amsterdam—and will continue to work with—on our shared journey toward longer and better lives for myeloma patients,” she further stated.
IMF Chairperson of the Board Dr. S. Vincent Rajkumar had these words for Drs. Lonial and Zweegman:
"I am delighted that Dr. Lonial is being awarded the prestigious Robert A. Kyle Lifetime Achievement Award for myeloma. It is a recognition of Dr. Lonial's immense and significant life-long contributions to myeloma treatment and research, including the development of several new drugs for the disease. He also built a world-class myeloma program at the Winship Cancer Institute in Atlanta, and in the process has mentored numerous scientists in the field. I am also confident that under his leadership in the field, the myeloma community can be assured that the pursuit of a cure for myeloma is of the highest priority," said Dr. Rajkumar.
"Dr. Zweegman's commitment to clinical research aimed at optimizing treatments for vulnerable and elderly myeloma patients is truly remarkable and highly deserving of the Brian G.M. Durie Outstanding Achievement Award. Her co-leadership of the Amsterdam UMC Myeloma Translational Research Group fills the gap between laboratory research and clinical care. Dr. Zweegman's dedication to improving the quality of life for myeloma patients is one of the top qualities we look for in a Brian G.M. Durie Outstanding Achievement Awardee — her body of work all points to the IMF's vision: A world where every myeloma patient can live life to the fullest, unburdened by the disease," he further stated.
IMF Interim CEO and Senior Vice President of Strategic Planning Diane Moran, RN, MA, EdM, extends her warmest congratulations and appreciation to this year’s Kyle and Durie Achievement Awardees.
"On behalf of the International Myeloma Foundation and the entire myeloma community, I would like to extend my warmest felicitations to Dr. Lonial for receiving this year's Robert A. Kyle Lifetime Achievement Award, and to Dr. Zweegman for being the Brian G.M. Durie Outstanding Achievement Awardee," said Diane.
"Dr. Lonial's praiseworthy leadership in various organizations — as Chair of the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Emory University School of Medicine, Chief Medical Officer of the Winship Cancer Institute, and co-chair of the NCI Myeloma Committee — as well as his remarkable dedication to his research work in the field of immunotherapy and cancer make him truly deserving of the prestigious Robert A. Kyle Lifetime Achievement Award," she continued.
"As this year's Brian G.M. Durie Outstanding Achievement Awardee, Dr. Zweegman embodies and reflects Dr. Durie's dedication to finding a cure for myeloma. Her active involvement in the development of innovative immunotherapeutic strategies, including novel CAR T-cell therapies, is truly noteworthy. Dr. Zweegman's commitment to improving the quality of lives of myeloma patients—through optimized treatments, toxicity reduction, preservation of functional independence, and by prioritizing patient values when it comes to their care—profoundly aligns with the IMF's mission and vision. We are grateful to have Dr. Zweegman in the International Myeloma Working Group as co-leader of the Quality of Life Working Group—a most fitting position for someone dedicated to leading international efforts to incorporate patient-reported outcomes into research and clinical practice," said Diane.
ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL MYELOMA FOUNDATION
Founded in 1990, the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) is the first and largest global foundation focusing specifically on multiple myeloma. The Foundation's reach extends to more than 525,000 members in 140 countries worldwide. The IMF is dedicated to improving the quality of life of myeloma patients while working toward prevention and a cure by focusing on four key areas: research, education, support, and advocacy. The IMF has conducted more than 250 educational seminars worldwide, maintains a world-renowned InfoLine, and in 2001, established the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG), a collaborative research initiative focused on improving myeloma treatment options for patients. In 2012, the IMF launched the Black Swan Research Initiative®, a groundbreaking research project aimed at curing myeloma. The IMF can be reached at (800) 452-CURE (2873). The global website is www.myeloma.org.
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